What do we do?

Boston Lightsaber Stage Combat Club is...
wait for it... a Boston-based lightsaber stage combat club. We are looking to get Star Wars fans together to create and practice with lightsaber props to create visually engaging stage combat for audiences, whether that's 3 people in a hallway, a stage in front of a room full of people, or an outing on Boston Common.

Practices

We start with drills to practice fundamentals. Nothing like constant repetition to build a good foundation!

From there, we split into small groups. In the early weeks of a rehearsal schedule, we're working on developing new choreography - either coming up with a brand new sequence, or extending an older sequence with more material.

In the later weeks, we are focusing on mastery: not just merely memorizing the choreography, but learning it cold. Being able to move fluidly with your partner takes a lot of practice! This is where the earlier drills on fundamentals really pays off.
The last 1-2 weeks are dedicated to show run-throughs.

What about Cosplay or RP?

We are not a cosplay group, although some of our members do SW cosplay. Likewise, we are not a roleplaying group, although some of our members do SW RP.

We are not affiliated with Lucasfilm in any way, although we are encouraging our members to create a costume and apply for membership in one of the Lucasfilm-recognized groups: the 501st Legion (as a specific Sith Lord), the Rebel Legion (both specific and generic Jedi), or The Dark Empire (as a generic Sith).

Workshops

We have Beginners' Nights before we start
a new rehearsal schedule. For details on when those will be
scheduled, please follow
our Facebook
or join
our Meetup
group. These workshops are typically on a Thursday night in
Cambridge, from 7-8:30pm, and are free.

In addition, for the past few years, we've run a
workshop at the Arisia Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention
where we teach the basics of what we do, with an emphasis on
going slowly and being safe.

About

Core Principles

Safety

Safety is paramount at BLSCC. You are responsible for your own safety and your partner's safety at all times.

Inclusiveness

BLSCC welcomes all fans. We will not tolerate any harrassment: reports of harrassment will be promptly investigated, and violators will be disinvited from returning. Our full
anti-harassment
policy is online as is our
Charter.

Sharing

Come to learn, come to teach! Everyone has something to contribute. If you know experience with stage combat, dance (of any form), or any martial art, your knowledge is definitely applicable. Even if your only experience is "I've watched the Star Wars films", that's still valuable, and we'll want your opinion.

Likewise, no one here is the be-all and end-all master of lightsaber stage combat. Everyone needs to be open to learning from other people.

History

April 2018

Split off from Boston Jedi

To accommodate different
levels of how much time & energy people wanted to
commit to each week, BLSCC split off from Boston Jedi.

July 16, 2014

Boston Jedi founded

Dave and Meg started the club,
practicing in Ten Hills Park in Somerville, MA. Later,
Boston Jedi moved its practices to MIT in Cambridge.

Join Us

How do I Join BLSCC?

Beginners' Nights are held the first 2 weeks of a
rehearsal schedule. Check out
our Facebook or Meetup for upcoming
Beginners' Nights, which will always be on a Thursday night,
from 7:30-9:00pm, at MIT.

For a Beginners' Night, all you need to do is just show
up! Dress comfortably; layers is recommended, as you may get
warm as we move around. We will have loaner sabers, as we do
not expect new members to have their own stunt saber.

There is no committment in coming to a Beginners' Night. Hopefully you'll want to join us for a performance, though! We
plan on accommodating all beginners for a performance: you'll be given a small role appropriate for a beginner. You will only need to come to Thursday practices to be ready for the performance.

While we're here to have fun, BLSCC rehearsals are for
serious practice. As some members have limited time, we must
make the best use of the 90 minutes of rehearsal, which requires
everyone to be both focusing and working hard during
rehearsal. People interested in a more relaxed group should
instead consider
joining Boston
Star Wars Fans on Facebook.

Boston Lightsaber Stage Combat Club is an 18+ group.

How do I find out when Beginners' Nights are?

You can get event reminders and last-minute updates by finding
us
on Facebook
or Meetup.

I have more questions; is there someone I can email?

Sure, drop a line to Dave Leung, club president, via dcltdw at gmail dot com.

If you're interested in purchasing a saber, BLSCC, as
an entity, does not recommend any particular saber vendor.
However, individual members have written up their
suggestions:

Credits

Not associated with LUCASFILM LTD.™ or any LFL Ltd.™ Film or Franchise.

Arisia 2018

A dessert-themed show & workshop

We will have a short show and then immediately launch
into a stage combat workoshop as in past years.

Date: Friday, Jan 12, 2018

Location: Grand A ballroom

Category: Show & Workshop

MIT: Journey to Space Waffle House

A free lightsaber show at dusk.

Directed and Produced by: Dave and Jacky Starring: Roger, Dan, Dagny, Cael, Will

Jedi Rodger and Dan think they are on their way to Space Waffle House, but what they uncover is far more spooky! We'll be performing on the grassy "Dot" in front of MIT's Green Building.

Date: Saturday, October 28 at 6 PM - 6:30 PM

Location: MIT

Category: Performance

Light Sabers: Demo and Workshop

You have a lightsaber - now what? BLSCC, a lightsaber choreography group, will do a short demonstration and then hold a workshop to teach the basics of stage combat using lightsaber props. During the workshop, we will be going slowly - safety first! No experience needed; no saber needed! (If you have your own Ultrasaber or Saberforge, you're welcome to use it.)

Date: Saturday January 14th 2017

Location: Grand Ballroom CD (1W), 10:30pm - 12am

Category: Demonstration and Tutorial

Arisia: Lightsaber Combat of the Sword Masters

Many of the lightsaber techniques we see in the Star Wars movies are based on Japanese and European sword traditions. Watch as BLSCC presents a lightsaber demonstration based on historically accurate European swordplay and polearm techniques used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. After the demonstration, we invite teens and adults to join us for a workshop in theatrical-style lightsaber-combat techniques; choose whether to be a Jedi or a Sith. May the Force be with you!